The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has launched a new agribusiness resource centre funded by the United States Government Feed the Future Initiative and USAID with technical assistance from Africa Lead.
The centre which is both an online platform and physical centre, will serve as a one-stop information and advisory hub to help streamline the investment process for current and prospective agribusiness investors.
The resource centre will work to increase access and dissemination of key information, products and services that will not only ease new investor entry and increase local agribusiness investment, but also improve and facilitate the registration, start up, and expansion of agribusinesses throughout the country.
Launching the centre, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said “unfortunately, the lack of well functioning agricultural resource centre to assist investors with all necessary task of setting up agribusiness create uncertainty in attracting and facilitating investments”.
“As a way of achieving this, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development sought and secured the support of the USAID-Africa Lead and the US government Feed the Future Initiative for the establishment of a Nigeria Agribusiness Resource Centre.
‘‘I am persuaded by the immense benefit of the Nigeria Agribusiness Resources Center in our import substitution drive and as a laudable approach in the diversification of the nation’s through agricultural sector”.
A one-stop referral system will refer prospective and existing investors to other government agencies and private sector providers based on investors needs.
The investors resource centre will also improve coordination between critical investment support agencies and various government stakeholders including Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and other ministries, departments and agencies at both the Federal and state level.
Driven by USAID’s goal to promote agribusiness development and Nigeria’s agriculture promotion policy focus on crowding in private sector investment, Africa Lead has provided ongoing technical and capacity strengthening services to Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development agribusiness division to strengthen its implementation of agriculture promotion policy. promotion of agribusiness investment.
Source: today.ng
